Conductive polymers have been widely investigated due to growing interest in their use in, e.g., anti-static coatings, conductive paints, electromagnetic shielding, electrode coatings and the like. Polypyrrole is a relatively air-stable conductive polymer which has previously been prepared by electrochemical methods (see, e.g., Kanazawa et al, J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Comm., 854 (1979)), and by chemical synthesis methods (see, e.g., Myers, J. Elec. Mat. 2, 61 (1986)). Polypyrrole latex particles have also been prepared by including certain polymers as polymeric surfactants often referred to as steric stabilizers, e.g., poly(vinyl alcohol-co-acetate), poly(vinylpyrrolidone), poly(acrylamide), poly(ethylene oxide) and methylcellulose.
Due to the widespread interest in the development of processable conductive polymers, research efforts were undertaken in the development of latex conductive polymer compositions.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a processable electrically conductive latex polymer composition.